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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29720337">Sentinel</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/scrapbullet/pseuds/scrapbullet'>scrapbullet</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dreams and Nightmares, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Ficlet, Gen, Good Parent Din Djarin, Insomnia, Not Beta Read, Post-Season/Series 02, Reunions, Sad Grogu | Baby Yoda, Tired Luke Skywalker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:54:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,044</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29720337</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/scrapbullet/pseuds/scrapbullet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The child has nightmares.</p><p>At night, ensconced in the tiny two-room hut, it is all too easy for dreams to become tangible. More nuanced. Fears expand to encompass every corner of the homestead, sinking down into the very foundations, and Luke spends every morning after sunrise deep in meditation in an attempt to cleanse their living space of the persisting negativity. </p><p>That isn’t to say that it’s Grogu’s fault. Not by any means. The more Luke works with the little one, the tighter the woven thread of their training bond becomes, the more Grogu recalls of his early years. His time in the Temple before the fall of the Republic haunts him, and every night, as his mind slips into slumber, it preys on him.</p><p>(or</p><p>Luke struggles to cope as Grogu's nightmares increase. He calls for a certain Mandalorian for aid.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Din Djarin &amp; Grogu | Baby Yoda &amp; Luke Skywalker, Grogu | Baby Yoda &amp; Luke Skywalker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>87</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Sentinel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The child has nightmares.</p><p>At night, ensconced in the tiny two-room hut, it is all too easy for dreams to become tangible. More nuanced. Fears expand to encompass every corner of the homestead, sinking down into the very foundations, and Luke spends every morning after sunrise deep in meditation in an attempt to cleanse their living space of the persisting negativity. </p><p>That isn’t to say that it’s Grogu’s fault. Not by any means. The more Luke works with the little one, the tighter the woven thread of their training bond becomes, the more Grogu recalls of his early years. His time in the Temple before the fall of the Republic haunts him, and every night, as his mind slips into slumber, it preys on him.</p><p>Such memories are too much for even a Jedi of Luke’s calibre to comprehend, let alone a youngling such as Grogu. Is it little wonder, then, that the child wakes two-to-three times in the dark hours, every night, crying out in terror? That he reaches for Luke for comfort, unable to discern what is dream, and what is reality? Luke is free with his affection, of course - holds Grogu close and hums an old Tatooine lullaby - but it’s not enough when Grogu doesn’t feel <i>truly</i> safe. Not really.</p><p>Luke worries. Grogu is listless from lack of sleep, and his Force presence veritably wilts. </p><p>It’s dawn, and the hazy light of a new day throws shadows across the ground as Luke sits on the door step, Grogu snuggled in his arms. The child barely slept at all during the night and has spent the last few hours clinging to Luke, whining fretfully at every creak and groan of the hut settling. Even now he grips at Luke’s hand tight enough for his tiny claws to make indents in the skin, clenching and releasing in a rhythmic motion of anxiety.</p><p>(For days, Luke has been trying the comm number, to no avail. The coverage on this lone planet is spotty, at best, and not for the first time Luke curses his decision to come here. And then, in the scant half-hour that Grogu had managed to sleep, the comm connected, and Luke heaved a sigh of relief.)</p><p>Exhausted, Luke dusts his fingers over the fine hairs on top of Grogu’s head, sending warmth and comfort through their fledgling bond. “I don’t think we can go on like this, little one. We’re in need of a little help, hm?”</p><p>Grogu shifts in his arms, restless. He tilts his head back to look up at Luke and mewls softly - so tired, so small and delicate and vulnerable, his large ears drooping despondently - before clutching at Luke’s robe and squirming closer. </p><p>“I’m so sorry that our lessons have brought back bad memories, Grogu. It was the last thing I wanted to do-”</p><p>And yet, something tells Luke, Grogu must remember, if he is to heal. To grow. How else are they to overthrow the fear in his padawan? Such dark things, such terrible pain- How are they to overcome it?</p><p>A rumble, overhead. It grows in volume until it is a thundering roar, trees rocking and swaying as a ship lowers itself into the clearing. It sets down with a heady thud, sending dirt and loose rocks rolling across the yard to stop at Luke’s bare feet. The ramp lowers, revealing a glint of shining beskar in the morning sun.</p><p>Grogu stiffens, and makes a low grumbling sound of inquiry. “Mwah?”</p><p>Luke smiles as the youngling in his arms perks up, purring delightedly and exuding such joy and happiness in the Force that its brightness brings tears to the eye. </p><p>“Patu!” Grogu babbles, reaching, always reaching, the love in his tiny being a vibration that causes the stones at Luke’s feet to shudder, rising no more than an inch or so. “Bwu!”</p><p><i>Safe,</i> Grogu’s presence seems to say along the bond, welling up in Luke and filling him up, suffusing him with its light. The lingering despair of Grogu’s night terrors is banished, just with the arrival of this man, this Mandalorian, and as the beskar-clad figure strides down the ramp Luke rises to meet him half-way, transferring the happy, wriggling child into the Mandalorian’s arms buoyed by sheer positivity.</p><p>“You came,” Luke says, heart racing. </p><p>“As soon as I could,” the Mandalorian replies, and with a hiss of air the helmet is removed, all the better to press his forehead to Grogu’s; the both of them overcome with emotion. </p><p>“Bwuh!” Grogu exclaims again, tiny hands tracing the face of who is undoubtedly his parent, his protector. His eyes, large and liquid, fill with tears as he burrows in close, tucking his head under the Mandalorian’s chin, as if to hide from his very nightmares.</p><p>Turning away, Luke is all too aware of the intimacy of this moment. That he shouldn’t look. “Grogu needs you. Will you stay? Will you help me?”</p><p>The Mandalorian - <i>Din, Grogu sends along the bond to Luke, safe, protector, buir</i> - frowns, and Luke can easily sense his confusion. “I’m no Jedi.”</p><p>“No, no-” Luke shakes his head, hand rising to scrub against the stubble on his chin. “We’re at an impasse with his training.” He looks to Din, then, his gaze skittering away with a faint flush to his cheeks. “What he’s been through is-” Luke sighs. “I can’t explain it, but he feels safe with you. And the only way I can continue his training is if he feels safe.”</p><p>Din hums. Nods, and rubs one large hand down Grogu’s back. The little one shudders, his purring louder. “I never thought I would see him again.”</p><p>Luke grimaces. “I should have given you our coordinates, I’m sorry, that’s… that’s definitely a mistake on my part. Will you-”</p><p>Din answers before Luke can even finish. “Yes. I’ll stay. For- for however long he needs me.”</p><p>It’s almost as if the sun shines brighter, banishing the cold dark and promising a brighter future. The Force hums happily with it, with this proclamation, and Luke allows himself to feel it, just a little.</p><p>Hope.</p><p>“The child will always need his father,” Luke utters, <i>sotto voce</i>.</p><p>Din rocks Grogu gently, and the child eases with a jaw-cracking yawn. "This is the Way."</p>
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